1. Technical Field
One or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to systems and methods for navigating a collection of digital content items. More specifically, one or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods of providing a graphical user interface that allows a user to interact with a collection of digital content items.
2. Background and Relevant Art
Computing devices (e.g., computers, tablets, smart phones) provide numerous ways for people to capture, create, share, view, and otherwise interact with numerous types of digital content items. For example, computing devices allow users to interact with digital photos by capturing, sharing, and viewing digital photos. Overtime, a typical user can amass a large amount of digital content items. As the number of digital content items increases, it becomes more difficult for a user to interact with the digital content items in an efficient and enjoyable manner. In particular, conventional systems for presenting digital content items often incorporate user interfaces that have several disadvantages.
For example, many conventional user interfaces do not allow a user to efficiently navigate through a large number of digital content items. In particular, many conventional user interface designs may allow a user to browse digital content items by providing a grid of digital content items (e.g., digital photos) through which a user may navigate. For example, a typical grid interface may require that a user manually scroll through the grid to locate a particular digital content item. The amount of scroll through the grid is typically directly proportional to the user's input. As such, when the grid includes thousands, or perhaps tens of thousands, of digital content items, the process of scrolling through the grid can be time consuming and inefficient, and therefore, frustrate the user.
The difficulties associated with conventional grid interfaces are often compounded when using a handheld device. In particular, handheld devices, such as mobile phones, typically have a limited screen size. The limited screen size can require a user to scroll the entire screen height of the screen to browse just a couple of digital content items. As such, attempting to browse through thousands of items using a conventional grid interface on a handheld device can be overwhelming.
Furthermore, conventional grid interfaces are typically presented in a vertical arrangement. As such, in order to scroll through a vertical interface, the user typically may provide a vertical scroll interaction. When using a handheld device with a single hand, providing a vertical scroll motion can be difficult. For example, attempting to scroll with a thumb of a hand holding the device can be ergonomically awkward. Often a user may not be able to provide a vertical scroll interaction over the entire height of the handheld device screen using only one hand. As such, users attempting to browse a conventional grid interface on a handheld device often have to use two hands.
In addition to the above drawbacks, many conventional systems used for presenting digital content items are limited in the way in which the digital content items can be organized and/or arranged. For example, and especially in the case of mobile computing devices, many conventional grid interfaces do not categorize, group, or arrange the numerous digital content items in any order. This causes the user to feel overwhelmed by the amount of digital content items the user will be forced to view in an attempt to find a particular digital content item. Although some conventional grid interfaces attempt to organize the digital content items, the user typically does not have a choice in how the digital content items are organized or arranged within the grid interface.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system that provides a user with an enjoyable user experience when navigating through digital content items.